The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe with his letters and journals, and his life, by his son. In eight volumes |
 | I. |
 | II. |
|
|
| III, IV, V. |
| VI, VII. |
| VIII. |
 | The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe |  |
185
Bleak was the morn—said Richard, with a sigh,
“I must depart!”—“That, Brother, I deny,”
Said George—“You may; but I perceive not why.”
“I must depart!”—“That, Brother, I deny,”
Said George—“You may; but I perceive not why.”
This point before had been discuss'd, but still
The guest submitted to the ruling will;
But every day gave rise to doubt and fear,—
He heard not now, as he was wont to hear,
That all was well!—though little was express'd,
It seem'd to him the writer was distress'd;
Restrain'd! there was attempt and strife to please,
Pains and endeavour—not Matilda's ease;—
Not the pure lines of love! the guileless friend
In all her freedom—What could this portend?
“Fancy!” said George, “the self-tormentor's pain”—
And Richard still consented to remain
The guest submitted to the ruling will;
But every day gave rise to doubt and fear,—
He heard not now, as he was wont to hear,
That all was well!—though little was express'd,
It seem'd to him the writer was distress'd;
Restrain'd! there was attempt and strife to please,
Pains and endeavour—not Matilda's ease;—
Not the pure lines of love! the guileless friend
In all her freedom—What could this portend?
“Fancy!” said George, “the self-tormentor's pain”—
And Richard still consented to remain
186
“Ride you this fair cool morning?” said the Squire:
“Do—for a purchase I have made enquire,
“And with you take a will complacently t' admire:
“Southward at first, dear Richard, make your way,
“Cross Hilton Bridge, move on through Breken Clay,
“At Dunham Wood turn duly to the east,
“And there your eyes upon the ocean feast;
“Then ride above the cliff, or ride below,
“You'll be enraptured, for your taste I know;
“It is a prospect that a man might stay
“To his bride hastening on his wedding-day;
“At Tilburn Sluice once more ascend, and view
“A decent house; an ample garden too,
“And planted well behind—a lively scene, and new;
“A little taste, a little pomp display'd,
“By a dull man, who had retired from trade
“To enjoy his leisure—Here he came prepared
“To farm, nor cost in preparation spared;
“But many works he purchased, some he read,
“And often rose with projects in his head,
“Of crops in courses raised, of herds by matching bred.
“We had just found these little humours out,
“Just saw—he saw not—what he was about;
“Just met as neighbours, still disposed to meet,
“Just learn'd the current tales of Dowling Street,
“And were just thinking of our female friends,
“Saying—‘You know not what the man intends,
“‘A rich, kind, hearty’—and it might be true
“Something he wish'd but had not time to do;
“A cold ere yet the falling leaf! of small
“Effect till then, was fatal in the fall;—
“And of that house was his possession brief—
“Go; and guard well against the falling leaf.
“Do—for a purchase I have made enquire,
“And with you take a will complacently t' admire:
“Southward at first, dear Richard, make your way,
“Cross Hilton Bridge, move on through Breken Clay,
“At Dunham Wood turn duly to the east,
“And there your eyes upon the ocean feast;
“Then ride above the cliff, or ride below,
“You'll be enraptured, for your taste I know;
“It is a prospect that a man might stay
“To his bride hastening on his wedding-day;
“At Tilburn Sluice once more ascend, and view
“A decent house; an ample garden too,
“And planted well behind—a lively scene, and new;
“A little taste, a little pomp display'd,
“By a dull man, who had retired from trade
“To enjoy his leisure—Here he came prepared
“To farm, nor cost in preparation spared;
“But many works he purchased, some he read,
“And often rose with projects in his head,
“Of crops in courses raised, of herds by matching bred.
“We had just found these little humours out,
“Just saw—he saw not—what he was about;
“Just met as neighbours, still disposed to meet,
“Just learn'd the current tales of Dowling Street,
“And were just thinking of our female friends,
“Saying—‘You know not what the man intends,
“‘A rich, kind, hearty’—and it might be true
“Something he wish'd but had not time to do;
187
“Effect till then, was fatal in the fall;—
“And of that house was his possession brief—
“Go; and guard well against the falling leaf.
“But hear me, Richard, looking to my ease,
“Try if you can find something that will please;
“Faults if you see, and such as must abide,
“Say they are small, or say that I can hide;
“But faults that I can change, remove, or mend,
“These like a foe detect—or like a friend.
“Try if you can find something that will please;
“Faults if you see, and such as must abide,
“Say they are small, or say that I can hide;
“But faults that I can change, remove, or mend,
“These like a foe detect—or like a friend.
“Mark well the rooms, and their proportions learn,
“In each some use, some elegance discern;
“Observe the garden, its productive wall,
“And find a something to commend in all;
“Then should you praise them in a knowing way,
“I'll take it kindly—that is well—be gay.
“Nor pass the pebbled cottage as you rise
“Above the sluice, till you have fix'd your eyes
“On the low woodbined window, and have seen,
“So fortune favour you, the ghost within;
“Take but one look, and then your way pursue,
“It flies all strangers, and it knows not you.”
“In each some use, some elegance discern;
“Observe the garden, its productive wall,
“And find a something to commend in all;
“Then should you praise them in a knowing way,
“I'll take it kindly—that is well—be gay.
“Nor pass the pebbled cottage as you rise
“Above the sluice, till you have fix'd your eyes
“On the low woodbined window, and have seen,
“So fortune favour you, the ghost within;
“Take but one look, and then your way pursue,
“It flies all strangers, and it knows not you.”
Richard return'd, and by his Brother stood,
Not in a pensive, not in pleasant mood;
But by strong feeling into stillness wrought,
As nothing thinking, or with too much thought
Or like a man who means indeed to speak,
But would his hearer should his purpose seek.
Not in a pensive, not in pleasant mood;
But by strong feeling into stillness wrought,
As nothing thinking, or with too much thought
Or like a man who means indeed to speak,
But would his hearer should his purpose seek.
188
When George—“What is it, Brother, you would hide?
“Or what confess?”—“Who is she?” he replied,
“That angel whom I saw, to whom is she allied?
“Of this fair being let me understand,
“And I will praise your purchase, house and land.
“Or what confess?”—“Who is she?” he replied,
“That angel whom I saw, to whom is she allied?
“Of this fair being let me understand,
“And I will praise your purchase, house and land.
“Hers was that cottage on the rising ground,
“West of the waves, and just beyond their sound;
“'T is larger than the rest, and whence, indeed,
“You might expect a lady to proceed;
“But O! this creature, far as I could trace,
“Will soon be carried to another place.
“Fair, fragile thing! I said, when first my eye
“Caught hers, wilt thou expand thy wings and fly?
“Or wilt thou vanish? beauteous spirit, stay!—
“For will it not (I question'd) melt away?
“No! it was mortal—I unseen was near,
“And saw the bosom's sigh, the standing tear!
“She thought profoundly, for I stay'd to look,
“And first she read, then laid aside her book;
“Then on her hand reclined her lovely head,
“And seem'd unconscious of the tear she shed.
“West of the waves, and just beyond their sound;
“'T is larger than the rest, and whence, indeed,
“You might expect a lady to proceed;
“But O! this creature, far as I could trace,
“Will soon be carried to another place.
“Fair, fragile thing! I said, when first my eye
“Caught hers, wilt thou expand thy wings and fly?
“Or wilt thou vanish? beauteous spirit, stay!—
“For will it not (I question'd) melt away?
“No! it was mortal—I unseen was near,
“And saw the bosom's sigh, the standing tear!
“She thought profoundly, for I stay'd to look,
“And first she read, then laid aside her book;
“Then on her hand reclined her lovely head,
“And seem'd unconscious of the tear she shed.
“‘Art thou so much,’ I said, ‘to grief a prey?’
“Till pity pain'd me, and I rode away.
“Till pity pain'd me, and I rode away.
“Tell me, my Brother, is that sorrow dread
“For the great change that bears her to the dead?
“Has she connections? does she love?—I feel
“Pity and grief, wilt thou her woes reveal?”
“For the great change that bears her to the dead?
“Has she connections? does she love?—I feel
“Pity and grief, wilt thou her woes reveal?”
189
“They are not lasting, Richard, they are woes
“Chastised and meek! she sings them to repose;
“If not, she reasons; if they still remain,
“She finds resource, that none shall find in vain.
“Chastised and meek! she sings them to repose;
“If not, she reasons; if they still remain,
“She finds resource, that none shall find in vain.
“Whether disease first grew upon regret,
“Or nature gave it, is uncertain yet,
“And must remain; the frame was slightly made,
“That grief assail'd, and all is now decay'd!
“Or nature gave it, is uncertain yet,
“And must remain; the frame was slightly made,
“That grief assail'd, and all is now decay'd!
“But though so willing from the world to part,
“I must not call her case a broken heart:
“Nor dare I take upon me to maintain
“That hearts once broken never heal again.”
“I must not call her case a broken heart:
“Nor dare I take upon me to maintain
“That hearts once broken never heal again.”
| The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe | |